General Discussion

MadameButterfly

(3,317 posts)

13. Johnson, the Smother's Brothers, and Pete Seeger

Tue Jul 22, 2025, 11:24 AM

Tuesday

My political awareness began a little after that, though I did go to a Pete Seeger concert in San Jose in 1968 where he debuted the song
"Waste Deep in the Big Muddy". It was lost on me then, but I learned later that importance of that song and the impact it had on Peter Seeger's career, The Smother's Brothers, and the Viet Nam war.

Johnson did complain about some Smothers Brother's criticism, such that Pete Seegeer's "Waste Deep in the Big Muddy" which was critical of Johnson was erased from the taping when it aired. There was so much controversy over the censorship that Seeger was allowed a few months later to come back on the show and sing the song. Two days after that Walter Cronkite called on Johnson to pull out of the war in Viet Nam.

Yes, it was under Nixon that the show was cancelled. I don't know if Johnson would have forgiven given that it influenced him pulling out of the race. Given Nixons shenanigans would Johnson have come around by then?

Great article about all this:
https://prospect.org/culture/recalling-pete-seeger-s-controversial-performance-smothers-brothers-show-50-years-ago/

Thanks to the OP to all of you who remember.